Autodesk 12812-051462-9011 User Guide 3 - Page 6

For more details, follow the links in the workflow outline. Workflow Outline In general, when you create a new material and apply it to an object, you follow these steps: 1 Make a sample slot on page 5262 active, and enter a name for the material you are about to design. 2 Choose the material type on page 5264. TIP 3ds Max provides two renderers: the default scanline renderer on page 6141 and the mental ray renderer on page 6230, each with distinctive capabilities. You choose a renderer for each scene based on its features. It is a good idea to design materials with a particular renderer in mind. The mental ray Connection rollout on page 5385 lets you add features unique to the mental ray renderer to basic 3ds Max materials. When rendering with mental ray, it's highly recommended that you use the Arch & Design material on page 5544 whenever possible. This material is optimized for use with mental ray and offers a number of distinct advantages over other materials available with 3ds Max. 3 For a Standard or Raytrace material, choose the shading type on page 5265. 4 Enter settings for the various material components on page 5267: diffuse color, glossiness, opacity, and so on. NOTE Lights and Shading on page 5268 describes how lights affect the appearance of a material. Choosing Colors for Realism on page 5270 gives guidelines on getting good results from unmapped materials. 5 Assign maps on page 5274 to the components you want to map, and adjust their parameters. 6 Apply on page 5278 the material to the object. 7 If necessary, adjust the UV mapping coordinates on page 5279 in order to orient maps with objects correctly. 8 Save on page 5280 the material. Designing Materials | 5261